Warsaw Police Department Officer Brad Kellar took the stand Tuesday and testified he began the investigation in November of 2012 when he was employed as a patrol deputy for KCSD. Kellar told the jury Engle's ex-wife contacted the department and told him she found “disturbing messages” on her personal computer that led her to believe Engle had been having an inappropriate sexual relationship with more than one minor female. Some messages, sexual in nature, were between Engle and what appeared to be a 12-year-old female. The messages also indicated Engle had other sexual encounters with other minor females.
Kellar said the investigation led him to two potential victims, one of whom initially denied any sexual encounter with Engle. The other admitted to her mother Engle had touched her inappropriately and had sex with her at a Memorial Day party in May of 2012. Kellar then turned the investigation over to Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department Detective J.D. Ayres.
Ayres then took the stand and testified he continued the investigation by speaking with and interviewing both potential victims. Ayres said the victim who initially denied a sexual encounter with Engle then admitted Engle had touched her inappropriately when he was driving her back from Wyoming where she had visited her grandparents in June of 2012.
Ayres was able to locate Engle in January of 2013, who was then residing in Fort Wayne. Ayres told the jury Engle denied all allegations of the sexual encounters with the minor females and when asked if he had sex with one of the victims, Engle told Ayres “That would have never happened.” Ayres said Engle was calm during their conversation and seemingly was not upset about the allegations.
Tuesday's jury trial continued with the mothers of both potential victims taking the stand and concluded with the victims themselves taking the stand to testify against Engle.
Both girls told the jury that Engle had touched them inappropriately with one explaining he had sex with her. Both girls admitted they did not attempt to tell Engle “no” during the encounters and that he had not threatened them in any way.
The trial continues today in Kosciusko County Superior Court I in front of Judge Duane Huffer.
(Story By The Times Union)
